The present invention relates to a body fitting compound sanitary napkin having flaps and zones of extensibility. More particularly, the invention relates to a compound sanitary napkin comprising a primary absorbent member, a base member having flaps and zones of extensibility.
In their simplest form, disposable sanitary napkins comprise an absorbent element (sometimes referred to as an absorbent core) interposed between a fluid pervious body-facing sheet (sometimes referred to as a topsheet) and a fluid impervious garment-facing sheet (sometimes referred to as a backsheet). The absorbent element is, of course, intended to receive and contain menses and other vaginal discharges. The body-facing sheet is intended to provide more or less comfortable and dry-feeling contact with body surfaces while allowing free passage of fluids therethrough into the absorbent element. The garment-facing sheet is intended to prevent menses or other vaginal discharges which are expelled or which escape from the absorbent element from soiling the wearer""s undergarments. In addition to the three functional elements mentioned above, disposable sanitary napkins are generally provided with means for supporting the device adjacent the wearer""s crotch area, even as the wearer moves, where it can most effectively perform its intended function. Typically, sanitary napkins are provided with an adhesive attachment means for securing the device to the inner crotch area of the wearer""s undergarments.
While previously known sanitary napkins do perform their intended function, each conventional design suffers from certain deficiencies in one or more of absorbency of body fluids, protection of the wearer""s undergarments from soiling, and/or physical comfort to the wearer.
With respect to disposable sanitary napkins, at least two general classes presently exist. One such class is identified as being intended for the absorption of medium to high menstrual flows. These sanitary napkins offer a relatively high absorptive capacity. Absorptive capacity is commonly achieved by providing the sanitary napkin with a relatively thick and bulky absorbent member. While having a relatively high absorptive capacity, the bulkiness of the absorbent member may cause a certain degree of wearing discomfort. A second class of sanitary napkins are intended for light or low menstrual flows and are commonly referred to as pantiliners or pantishields. Sanitary napkins of this class, as a group, are thinner, somewhat more flexible and generally more comfortable than those of the first class. However, sanitary napkins of the second class typically lack the absorptive capacity of sanitary napkins of the first class.
One attempt to provide the benefits of the previously described two classes of sanitary napkins into a single compound sanitary napkin is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,130 issued to DesMarais on Jan. 10, 1984. The compound sanitary napkin of DesMarais comprises a primary menstrual pad and a panty protector joined to one another.
On the other hand, sanitary napkins having flaps are widely known. Such flaps are folded to secure the outside of the wearer""s undergarment. The flaps serve prevention of soiling the edges of the undergarment. Therefore, the longer the flaps, the less soiling the undergarment is expected. However, as the flaps becomes longer, it becomes difficult for the flaps to be folded along the edges of the undergarment.
While prior art sanitary napkins have addressed some of the problems of achieving a compound sanitary napkin, they have not addressed the problems to the extent of or in the manner of the present invention. Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a compound sanitary napkin having flaps and zone of extensibility.
The present invention relates to a compound sanitary napkin comprising a primary absorbent member, a base member, flaps and at least one zone of extensibility. The compound sanitary napkin has a longitudinal center line along a longitudinal direction and a transverse center line along a transverse direction. The primary absorbent member has a longitudinal length, a transverse width, a thickness, a pair of longitudinal sides and a pair of transverse ends, and comprises a primary absorbent element and a fluid pervious cover superimposed on the primary absorbent element. The base member has a longitudinal length, a transverse width, a thickness, a pair of longitudinal sides and a pair of transverse ends, and comprises a fluid pervious body-facing sheet and a fluid impervious garment-facing sheet joined to the fluid pervious body-facing sheet. The primary absorbent member is joined to the base member at least at a part of the longitudinal direction of the primary absorbent member. Flaps extends laterally outwardly from the longitudinal sides of the base member. Each of the flaps has a proximal edge joined with the longitudinal sides of the base member, a distal edge spaced laterally outwardly from the proximal edge. The flaps cover a portion of the leg openings of the wearer""s undergarment. At least one zone of extensibility comprises at least a portion of the flaps, wherein at least a portion of the zone of extensibility is spaced longitudinally away from the flap transverse centerline. The entire length of the proximal edge of the flaps is not less than 20% of the length of the primary absorbent member. At least the zone of extensibility is extensible to be capable of a stress given to the flap when the compound sanitary napkin is worn so that the flaps are relatively free from shifting when at least a portion of the primary absorbent member shifts away from the flap.